


Seven-Five-Three

by storm_of_sharp_things



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Shinto, relationship next steps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:41:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29289267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storm_of_sharp_things/pseuds/storm_of_sharp_things
Summary: Arthur and Eames arrive at Saito's household to attend a Shinto coming-of-age ceremony for Saito's daughterFor Eames' Stupid Cupid 2021Prompt: Dad Eames (Saito) - although I took a little liberty with it :)
Relationships: Arthur/Eames (Inception), Arthur/Eames/Saito (Inception)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4
Collections: Eames' Stupid Cupid 2021





	Seven-Five-Three

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kitt3nz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitt3nz/gifts).



_“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaames!”_ came the distant high-pitched shriek as soon as they stepped through Saito’s residence doors.

“Incoming,” Arthur said wryly.

Eames grinned as he dropped to one knee and held his arms wide. “Don’t be jealous, darling.”

A small figure dashed into the entrance hall from the far end, utterly ignoring the pursuit by a scolding nanny, who pulled up short and bowed as soon as she saw the two men. The child threw herself at Eames with giggling enthusiasm.

“I’m not,” Arthur said with a faint smile, switching to Swahili. “She knows how to manipulate me perfectly well, and it’s not by acting like a wriggling puppy.”

The child peered over Eames’ shoulder at him. “Arthur oji-san, I don’t know that one. Yet,” she announced with annoyance. “Which language, please?”

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “I think I’d like to keep it a secret so we can talk about you all we want, right in front of you, in the very rudest way.”

She burst into a beaming grin and then squirmed free from Eames to stand in front of Arthur and bow. He returned the bow gravely but his eyes crinkled at the corners.

“Hana!” Saito came striding in and the child giggled with mock terror, poised to dart off until Eames stage-whispered “magic trick” to her.

“Abracadabra!” she shrieked and flung herself behind Arthur, clinging to his legs. “The Amazing Hana has disappeared! Enjoy the show! Tip your waitstaff!”

Saito stopped dead in his tracks, his face doing an indescribable series of gymnastic expressions. Behind him, the nanny did her best not to curl into a ball, shoulders shaking.

Arthur’s mouth twitched as he held Saito’s incredulous stare. “Well. Looks like your daughter has successfully made her escape.”

“Mmmmmmm,” Eames agreed through tightly compressed lips.

The tableau held until the nanny bowed desperately and gasped “I should go look in the garden!”

Saito turned to look at her and then inclined his head an almost infinitesimal degree. She darted away.

Hana peered from around Arthur’s legs. Seeing her father’s eyes upon her, she leaped out and shouted “Ta-da!”

Eames lost it, laughing so hard he had to lean on Arthur.

Saito gave in with reasonable grace, bending down and scooping his daughter into his arms for a hug.

She gave him a quick hug and then whispered in his ear, glancing back at Arthur and Eames. “Please, papa?”

Saito raised an eyebrow. “Well, we shall see.”

* * *

“She wants you to teach her ‘real’ magic tricks,” Saito said as he carefully knotted Eames’ tie.

Eames snorted and kicked off the house slippers he’d put on at the entrance to the residence, earning him a glare from both Saito and Arthur. “Is she already bored with scamming your bodyguards during card games?”

Tie held firmly in his fingers, Saito stared Eames into an amused stillness again. “She improves,” he admitted finally, “with _constant_ practice. She has yet to learn to hide the glee when it succeeds, however.”

When he stepped away to survey the result of his efforts, Arthur tossed the slippers back at Eames.

“Oi!”

“Don’t be a slob, Eames.” Arthur presented his throat to Saito, eyes half-lidded at the feel of Saito’s fingers toying with the knot.

“That hurts, Arthur, it really does,” Eames groused, although the corner of his mouth was tucked up.

“Not yet,” both Arthur and Saito said at the same time.

Eames grinned and stepped in for a kiss. “You love me.”

“We must,” Arthur said wryly.

Saito pulled Eames close and then hummed in dissatisfaction. “You need a shave,” he said, rubbing his thumb over Eames’ mouth.

“Yeah, Arthur said the same thing this morning.” Eames looked hopeful and waggled his eyebrows.

Saito raised a cool eyebrow of his own. “You wish me to shave you? You did not seem to enjoy it so much the last time.”

“Because you chose to do it between back-to-back meetings in a semi-public bathroom and left me hanging!”

“I left you clean-shaven. The poor state of your control is surely your own issue.”

Arthur snorted. “I’ll get the razor if we’ve got time before we leave for the shrine.”

Saito considered Eames then smiled slightly. “We will make the time.”

* * *

“So what does she consider real magic?” Eames asked, a little breathlessly. He was sitting next to the sink and Saito was standing between his legs, shaving him with slow deliberation.

“I suspect she has heard stories about dreamshare.”

Eames leaned away from the razor. “Ooooh, no. _That’s_ not going to happen.”

“Of course it is not. Will you remain still or must I restrain you?”

A spark lit in Eames’ eyes and Arthur snorted. “No time for your usual shenanigans, Eames.”

“...crap. All right, well, I can show her more sleight of hand. Or other tricks.”

“I am not sure how comfortable I am with that. She has already picked the lock on a cabinet door,” Saito said with clear accusation.

Eames fought down a grin as Saito continued to move the blade across his cheek. “Oh that wasn’t me, that was Arthur.”

Arthur’s mouth twitched as Saito turned to regard him. “It’s a very useful skill, especially to someone in her position,” he said, without the slightest hint of defense.

“As are the knife fighting techniques, I suppose?”

Arthur actually smiled. “You’re not really upset about it.”

“I do not get ‘upset.’ I _am_ questioning your judgement where it regards a seven year old child.”

Eames cleared his throat and Saito gave them both a glare before returning to the shaving. Arthur flashed Eames a conspiratorial wink before going back out to assemble Saito’s formal robes.

* * *

Hana craned to see everything after they passed through the torii into the shrine grounds, but there were other people in the way.

“Up you go, kiddo,” Arthur said, hoisting her up and letting her perch on his shoulder, careful with her kimono.

“Ooooooh, this is good!” She peered around with delight. “Papa is taller, though,” she added as an afterthought.

Eames snorted. “Maybe Arthur should sit on _his_ shoulders. Then you’d both be _really_ tall.”

Hana giggled. “Eames oji-san! Papa is too dignified for that.”

“But Arthur isn’t?” Eames asked with mock horror.

Hana giggled again and kicked at him gently. “There. Now you don’t have to murder him in his sleep, Arthur.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll do something else before bedtime.”

She considered that, then nodded sadly. “You’re right. But can you leave him just a little bit alive? I want to hear more about art heists.” She pronounced the word ‘heists’ with relish, having just learned it in the car on the way.

“I will consider it,” Arthur replied gravely.

Hana laughed, then squirmed to be set down as they approached the water basin outside of the shrine itself.

“I can do it myself now,” she announced when Saito raised an eyebrow at her. He nodded permission and she solemnly took herself through the purification ritual, only glancing at her father once she was done. He nodded again and she burst into a happy smile, bouncing in place slightly as the other three completed the ritual as well.

Saito also allowed her to ring the bell at the main shrine building, bringing an attendant to escort them inside for the shichigosan ceremony. Hana was serious and earnest in front of the priest, but grinned happily once he offered her the beautiful fabric amulet and a long colorful bag of candy.

“Well, I suppose you’re allowed to get older now that the kami have said it’s safe,” Eames teased her as they left the shrine grounds.

“No candy for you,” she replied severely.

“Pffft. As if you were going to share anyway.”

She snickered and settled next to Saito on the car seat. After a bit, she began to yawn.

Eames brushed a stray bit of her hair back under the flower ornaments and she hummed happily. “I want you to stay for longer. Will you stay?”

“We’re here for a bit, love,” Eames replied, his face soft.

She made a sleepy face at him. “‘A bit’ is not long enough. It should be forever.”

Eames went still. “No one can promise forever, Hana-my-love.”

She wrinkled her nose and yawned again. “Don’t be so tragic, Eames oji-san. It makes Arthur oji-san’s face freeze.”

Arthur huffed and looked away.

“You should stay,” Hana decided and closed her eyes.

“Faking sleep doesn’t give you the final word,” Arthur said wryly.

She snored pointedly as she turned to bury her face against her father.

* * *

“You should stay,” Saito said quietly, as they lay tangled together in his bed. He traced a pattern on Arthur’s back and kissed Eames’ shoulder.

“She’ll get spoiled rotten,” Eames said after a moment.

“So will Saito,” Arthur muttered into the pillow.

Saito relaxed back against the bed. “ _I_ already am,” he murmured, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

**Author's Note:**

>   
>  oji-san - uncle, may be applied to a relative-by-courtesy, who is not related by blood or marriage (yet ;)  
> torii - traditional Japanese gate at the entrance to a Shinto shrine, usually red with two uprights and two crosspieces  
> shichigosan - (shichi-go-san, literally “seven-five-three”) a rite of passage ceremony for five-year-old boys and three- and seven-year old girls  
> kami - Shinto spirits/gods venerated at each shrine


End file.
